Mets vs. Giants Preview: Game #105 — Jonathon Niese vs. Matt Cain

Today's game notes, courtesy of @Mets.

Teams: Mets vs. Giants
Date: Wednesday, August 1, 2012 • 10:15 p.m
Location: AT&T Park • San Francisco, CA
Starters: LHP Jonathon Niese (7-5, 3.86) vs. RHP Matt Cain (10-3, 2.80)
TV/Radio: SNY • WFAN • WQBU
Info: Game #105 • Road Game #53

Lineup

Ruben Tejada – SS
Jordany Valdespin – CF
David Wright – 3B
Ike Davis – 1B
Daniel Murphy – 2B
Jason Bay – LF
Mike Baxter – RF
Josh Thole – C
Jonathon Niese – LHP

METS AT A GLANCE: The Mets had their two-game winning streak snapped last night...New York is 3-7 in its last 10 games...The Mets are 4-14 since the All-Star break...Below is a monthly look at the Mets this season.

JULY: Daniel Murphy finished sixth in the National League with a .360 batting average in July...David Wright was tied for fourth in the NL with 21 RBI last month and Ike Davis finished tied for fifth in the majors with nine home runs in July...The Mets won seven games in July, the third-fewest in franchise history for the month...The 1962 Mets won six games in July and the 1963 Mets had four wins in July.

FIELDING IN JULY: The Mets made one error last night...During the month of July, the team made 13 errors, tied for the eighth-fewest in the majors during the month...New York is 31-24 when they do not commit an error.

ON THE ROAD: New York is 3-3 on its season-high 11-game road trip ...After this series, the Mets will travel to San Diego for three games ...The Mets have lost nine of their last 13 road games and are 24-28 overall on the road this year...David Wright is second in the majors with a .363 road batting average...The Mets have scored 260 runs on the road, the most in the majors...Seattle and Los Angeles (AL) are tied for second with 258...The Mets are averaging 5.00 runs per game on the road which leads the majors.

SCOTT HAIRSTON: Has three straight multi-hit games and four straight multi-hit games when he starts...Since the All-Star break Hairston is hitting .340 (17-50) with eight runs scored, six doubles, two home runs and 10 RBI in 17 games.

DAVID WRIGHT: Ranks third in the majors with a .420 on-base percentage and sixth with a .329 batting average and tied for ninth with 71 RBI...Wright is eighth in the National League with 65 runs scored and is fourth with 59 walks.

MILESTONE TRACKER: David Wright is one home run shy of becoming the third player in franchise history to reach the 200 home run plateau...Darryl Strawberry (252) and Mike Piazza (220) are the others...Wright is also four RBI shy of 800 for his career.

DOUBLES: New York had two doubles last night and they have collected 204 this season, the second-most in the majors...Boston is first with 227...Daniel Murphy is tied for fourth in the majors with 32 doubles and David Wright ranks sixth in the majors with 31 doubles.

JORDANY RULES: Jordany Valdespin is hitting .348 (23-66) with five home runs and 12 RBI since June 18...Valdespin started in the leadoff spot for the first time in his career last night...He is tied for sixth among National League rookies with seven home runs.

ANDRES TORRES: Has hit in 11 straight road games (18-36, .500) dating back to July 13...Torres went 0-14 on the Mets last homestand.

LOB: The Mets left five runners aboard last night and have stranded 724 runners overall, ranking fifth in the National League.

PITCHING NOTES: Mets starters rank eighth in the majors with a 3.86 ERA...New York’s bullpen has allowed a run in 14 of the 18 games since the All-Star break (5.43 ERA)...Overall, New York’s bullpen has the worst ERA (5.04) in the majors...The pen has lost 21 games, the third-most in the majors and has 17 blown saves, the third-most in the majors.

MORE HARVEY HISTORY: Matt Harvey struck out seven last night and gave him 18 strikeouts over his first two major league games...He racked up 11 strikeouts in his debut on July 26 at Arizona...Harvey has more strikeouts (18) than any other pitcher in franchise history after his first two major league games...According to the Elias Sports Bureau, only three other active pitchers struck out at least 18 batters in their first two major league games: Stephen Strasburg (22), Tim Hudson (19) and Johnny Cueto (18).

JONATHON NIESE: Has issued one walk in his last four starts and became the seventh pitcher in Mets history to throw at least 7.0 innings and not walk a batter in three consecutive starts (July 8-27) in one season...The last major league pitcher to do that was Cliff Lee, who did it in four straight starts in June, 2010.

JOSH EDGIN: Has not allowed a run in his last eight outings, spanning 7.1 innings...Overall, he has racked up 18 strikeouts in 10.0 innings of work...Lefties are 4-23 (.174) with 12 strikeouts...He earned his first major league victory on Monday night.

TWO OUTS: The Mets scored one, two-out run last night and have scored 207 two-out runs this season, the most in the majors...New York is hitting .266 with two outs, the third-highest average in the majors ...New York’s pitching staff allowed one, two-out run last night and has surrendered 193 runs with two outs, the third-most in the majors.

RISP: The Mets were 1-5 with runners in scoring position last night and over their last 15 games, the club is hitting .208 (27-130) with runners in scoring position...New York is hitting .264 with RISP on the season, ranking 11th in the majors...The Mets are hitting .274 with runners in scoring position and two outs, the highest average in the majors.

MINOR NOTES: Zack Wheeler struck out a season-high 11 batters, one shy of his professional-high, last night for Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League vs. Harrisburg...Wheeler allowed four hits and three runs, two earned over 6.2 innings...Wheeler improved to 10-6 on year with a 3.26 ERA (42 earned runs/116.0 innings) with 117 strikeouts.

FRANK FRANCISCO: Is expected to pitch tonight for Binghamton (AA) of the Eastern League vs. Harrisburg...Francisco threw 1.0 scoreless and hitless inning last night for the BMets vs. Harrisburg...He had three strikeouts and threw 11 pitches (10 strikes)...Francisco has tossed 3.2 innings, allowed five hits, one run, earned, with one walk and four strikeouts in four rehabilitation games...Francisco has been on the 15-Day Disabled List since June 23 with a left oblique strain.

LAST START: Received a loss when the Mets fell to the Dodgers, 11-5, at Chase Field on July 27...Pitched 6.0 innings and allowed eight runs, six earned, nine hits, and one walk...Struck out five in the 113-pitch outing...The eight runs tied a career high, done four times previous and once this season (May 18).

NORMAL REST: Niese will pitch on regular rest tonight against the Giants...In eight starts on four days of rest this season, Niese is 2-4 with a 6.90 ERA (35 earned runs/45.2 innings)...Conversely, in 12 starts with extra rest this season (five days or more), he is 5-1 with a 2.08 ERA (18 earned runs/78.0 innings pitched).

WALKS: Had not walked a batter in 25.0 innings, a career-long streak that dated from the fifth inning on June 3, four starts ago, to the 2nd inning on July 27...Has allowed eight walks in his last ten starts, a span of 68.1 innings pitched, dating to June 3...The eight walks tie him for the 13th-least in the NL since that date (min 50.0 IP)...Has walked more than one once in those 10 starts...Prior to this stretch, Niese had allowed 18 base-on-balls over a six-start stretch (29.2 innings pitched) from May 1 to May 28...Niese’s 25.1 innings without a walk marks the longest streak by a Mets pitcher since 2011, when Mike Pelfrey went 25.0 innings without a base-on-balls from June 2-24.

RARE COMPANY: Niese has issued one walk in his last four starts and became the seventh pitcher in Mets history to throw at least 7.0 innings and not walk a batter in three consecutive starts (July 8-27) in one season...The last major league pitcher to do that was Cliff Lee, who did it in four straight starts in June, 2010.

INNINGS PITCHED: Since June 10, Niese has pitched 66.1 innings, spanning nine starts, tying him for eighth most in the NL over that time...Has thrown at least 7.0 innings in seven of his last nine starts.

RECENT SUCCESS: In his previous 12 starts dating to May 23, Niese is 5-3 with a 3.33 ERA (30 earned runs/81.0 innings pitched)...Has a 7.52 K/9 mark and eight quality starts over that stretch...Has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 14 of his 20 starts this season...Finished the month of June with a 1.89 ERA (seven earned runs/33.1 innings pitched).

SUCCESS VS. LEFTIES: Niese has held left-handed hitters to a .247 batting average (21-84) this season, with one home run and four walks...Conversely, Niese has allowed 16 home runs and 29 walks to right-handers...Niese held lefties to a .259 average and .357 slugging percentage during the 2011 season… Allowed only 10 extra-base hits (two home runs and eight doubles) to left-handed batters last season, which was tied for 10th-fewest in the National League.

DAY/NIGHT SPLITS: In 10 starts during the day this season, Niese is 4-1 with a 2.85 ERA (21 earned runs/66.1 innings)...In eight night starts, the lefthander is 3-4 with a 5.02 ERA (32 earned runs/57.1 innings)...Niese has allowed 12 of his 17 home runs this season during night games..For his career, Niese has compiled a 13-9 record with a 3.65 ERA (77 earned runs/190.0 innings pitched) during the day in 32 starts, compared to his 16-17 mark with a 4.64 ERA (157 earned runs/304.1 innings pitched) at night in 52 starts.